Bat Care

We receive lots of calls a year from people who have found a grounded or injured bat. We respond as quickly as we can and where necessary will take a bat into care with the intention of releasing it as soon as possible. Bats are long lived for small mammals so it’s important that we release them at the same place where it was found as it will know all the best feeding and roosting sites.

If you find a bat the best way to contact us is by calling the National Bat Care Helpline on 0345 1300 228. If for any reason you can’t get through or if there is no answer please send an email to nottsbatgroup@gmail.com with your name, phone number and location and we will get back to you as soon as we can. It may take longer to respond to an email so please use the helpline first.

We are changing the start time to 7pm - 9pm, as the meetings always en …

"Bat facts..."

Do they make a nest?

No, bats only use what is already there – caves, holes in trees, gaps in bridges, roofs of buildings, external features of buildings eg. behind fascia boards (a favourite roost site for pipistrelle bats). They do not make existing gaps bigger, they don’t chew cables in roofs, and they do not bring any nesting material into the roost with them. Bats need different conditions depending on the time of year. In summer female bats gather together to form nursery roosts. To enable the young bats to develop quickly they need a warm site such as a south facing gable or a roof space. Once the young are able to fend for themselves they choose cooler sites to enable them to conserve energy by slowing down their metabolism. In winter they need cool sites with high humidity. Winter sites include caves, tunnels and old mine workings.

Mapping Nottinghamshire’s bats

About

Nottinghamshire Bat Group is a group dedicated to the conservation of Nottinghamshire bats.

We welcome enquiries of all types, and new members — we have regular meetings and varied programs.